Roman Inscriptions of Britain facts for kids
Roman Inscriptions of Britain (often called RIB) is a huge collection of ancient Roman writings found in Britain. Think of it like a giant book series, with three main parts, that helps historians and archaeologists learn about what life was like when the Romans were in Britain. It's a super important resource for anyone studying Roman Britain.
This amazing project started with a scholar named Francis J. Haverfield. He collected many notes, which he left to the University of Oxford. Later, other experts like R.G. Collingwood and R.P. Wright helped put together the first volume. It was first published in 1965, and a newer version came out in 1995.
Contents
What is Roman Inscriptions of Britain?
RIB is a collection of all the Roman inscriptions (writings) found in Britain. These writings are often carved into stone, metal, or pottery. They give us clues about Roman soldiers, gods, important people, and everyday life.
Volume One: Writings on Stone
The first volume, called Inscriptions on Stone, focuses on writings carved into stone. These might be parts of buildings, tombstones, or altars. It was first published in 1965 and updated in 1995.
Volume Two: Everyday Roman Objects
Volume II looks at inscriptions found on instrumentum domesticum. This fancy Latin phrase just means "household items" or "everyday tools." Imagine finding a Roman pot with someone's name scratched into it! This volume collects those kinds of writings.
Volume Three: New Discoveries
Volume III is like an update to Volume I. It includes all the new stone inscriptions found after the first volume was finished. This volume covers discoveries up to the end of 2006. It was put together by R.S.O. Tomlin, R.P. Wright, and M.W.C. Hassall.
Finding Information in RIB
The RIB books also have special lists called "indexes." These indexes help researchers quickly find specific information. For example, you can look up Roman names (first names and family names), military groups, or even the names of emperors and gods.
The entries in RIB are also connected to other big collections of Roman writings, like the CIL. This makes it easier for scholars to find all the related information.
How to Reference RIB
When people talk about a specific inscription from RIB, they usually use a simple way to refer to it. For example, RIB 1726 means entry number 1726 from Volume I. This entry might describe something like a piece of an altar with an inscription. An example inscription might be "[I(ovi)] O(ptimo) M(aximo) D(olicheno)". This shows how the original Latin text is recorded, even if parts are missing.
See also
- Roman Imperial Coinage
